More than 150 House Democrats have called for the removal of specific provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act that would prohibit certain benefits for LGBTQ service members, such as sex-reassignment surgery.
In a letter Thursday to House and Senate committees on armed services, the Democrats said that the provisions in the bill “threaten the recruitment, retention, and readiness of our Armed Forces.”
The bill narrowly passed the House in July, but five provisions take certain rights away from LGBTQ service members and their dependents, House Democrats said.
“These sections of the House-passed NDAA were constructed to score political points rather than support and invest in our most important operational advantage: our service members,” the letter said.
The House-passed NDAA would prevent TRICARE, the health care program for military and their families, from covering the cost of sex reassignment surgeries and hormone therapy. A similar provision would stop the Exceptional Family Member Program from covering reassignment surgeries for dependent children.
It also prohibits service members from being reassigned to a different station “for the purpose of providing their dependents with gender-affirming care.”
“Denying this access to health care would deter eligible and qualified people from joining the Armed Forces, damage retention efforts, and hurt our military readiness,” the letter stated. “As our nation faces steep recruitment and retention challenges, attacking transgender people — who are more likely to serve in the U.S. military than cisgender people — is a grave mistake.”
Another provision would prohibit the display of Pride flags in areas of the Defense Department, which House Democrats say “sends a strong message that LGBTQ+ people do not belong and aren’t welcome.”
Rep. Ralph Norman, South Carolina Republican, said in a statement after the bill passed that “many conservative amendments” had made it more acceptable to him.
He also said his amendment to prohibit certain flags at the Defense Department, such as a “rainbow flag,” made it in.
The House-passed bill would also prohibit funds for certain books in schools operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity.
“Censoring books that are inclusive of transgender people sets a dangerous precedent that politicians can censor a range of school content based on politicians’ ideologies,” the Democrats’ letter said. “Schools should focus on creating supportive learning environments, not censoring content.”
The bill would also prohibit drag shows and Drag Queen Story Hours on military bases. The letter said that typically these events are sponsored by private groups and don’t use federal funding.
In June, the Pentagon banned drag shows on military bases due to Republican lawmakers saying that the shows are not appropriate for children.
The Senate passed its version of the bill in July, without the five challenged provisions. Leaders from the two chambers will now discuss a final bill, which then has to be passed by both before being sent to President Biden.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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